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Dread Gnomes
The Dread Gnomes are a tribe of Deltora, who reside predominately in Dread Mountain. Their gem is the great Emerald and they reside primarily in the Emerald territory, specifically on Dread Mountain. History Politics Government Law Enforcement Culture Society Before Adin, no one had dared to climb Dread Mountain without being killed on the spot. Even after Adin won over the Dread Gnomes, they remained highly suspicious and were perfectly willing to kill travelers that climbed too close to their stronghold without invitation, thought they at least offer the offenders a chance to leave. Dread Gnomes mark main paths and other locations on Dread Mountain with crossed arrows to mark where travelers should not enter. Gnome-rests, which are dotted throughout Dread Mountain and act as safe houses for Gnomes caught in fierce storms, are marked with this symbol. Dread Gnomes value honor and will usually only kill those that are treacherous or do not follow their instructions, though their extreme paranoia can often cloud their judgment. Dread Gnomes will honor a life debt for as long as they live, as demonstrated by Az-Zure's loyalty to Adin and the Dread Gnomes during the time of King Lief. Dread Gnomes are known for being very hardy and highly self-sufficient, but also have a great deal of pride that occasionally proves self-destructive. For generations, Dread Gnomes hunted the Kin on Dread Mountain, viewing them as terrible pests. They allied with an Ooze Toad named Gellick partly because the toad offered to let them use its venom, which the Gnomes used to successfully drive the Kin from Dread Mountain. They continued to attack the Kin despite the clear harm it was doing to their home and were forced to serve Gellick for decades, though they did eventually admit their mistake and welcomed the Kin back to Dread Mountain after Gellick's death. The Dread Gnomes guard their home on Dread Mountain jealously. They have a propensity for greed and hoard an immeasurable wealth of gold and jewels within their stronghold, though they can be persuaded to loan some of their treasures for a greater cause. For example, Fa-Glin gave King Lief and his companions a pouch of gold pieces to aid in their quest to destroy the Four Sisters. Gla-Thon hesitated briefly when Lief requested all of the emeralds and amethysts from the Gnomes' treasury, but quickly understood why he needed them and was put at ease when the king assured her they would all be returned. Fa-Glin demonstrated more positive aspects of the Dread Gnomes' pride and wariness; he refused to ask for assistance from King Lief during the famine, as he knew that food was scare in all of Deltora, and continued to write his messages in code even after years of apparent peace. When archery is ineffective, Dread Gnomes have been known to employ traps to defend themselves. They killed green beasts, whose scales deflected their arrows, by dropping boulders on them. They have use a variety of tricks to defend their stronghold on Dread Mountain, including trapped doorways and two-way mirrors, the latter being an exceptionally rare trick in Deltora. Some members of the tribe enjoy tormenting individuals that fall into their traps and kill creatures like the Kin purely for sport, but they are looked down upon by their compatriots, who view such Behaviour as simple. Dread Gnomes are most well known for their phenomenal archery skills. Dread Gnomes typically defend their stronghold on Dread Mountain firing en masse, raining arrows down on attackers, a tactic that was also used to great effect during the Battle for Deltora. The only significant limitation to Dread Gnome archery is the piercing power of their arrows; because of their small stature, Dread Gnomes carry arrows roughly half the length and weight of those used by members of the Del tribe. This makes targets with armored hides, such as Ak-Baba and green beasts, effectively invulnerable to the Gnomes' archery. The Gnomes have used flaming arrows on occasion, created by dipping their arrowheads in flammable oil and lighting them with torches, which can set targets ablaze even if they cannot penetrate their armor. Architecture Physical appearance Dread Gnomes are short and stocky, much shorter than a member of the Del tribe and dwarfed by the tall Mere and Jalis. Male Dread Gnomes often wear beards and both genders have been known to wear their hair long. Their hair is typically black or brown, though some Gnomes have sported red hair and they can have white hair in old age. Dread Gnome clothing is typically made from animal hide and fur. They are capable of making clothing insulating enough to hunt on Dread Mountain in the middle of winter. Some Gnomes wear jackets made of Kin skin, though they stopped this practice during the time of King Lief, after the Kin assisted in reclaiming Dread Mountain and the great Emerald from Gellick. Notable members References Category:Dread Gnomes (tribe) Category:Tribes Category:Deltora